365 Retail Markets, the global leader in unattended retail technology, today announced the availability of PicoCoffee™, a compact, cashless payment device for automatic tabletop coffee machines that allows consumers to vend beverages and purchase micro market items in the same transaction.
Prior to this innovation, consumers were required to purchase barcoded products separate from coffee, adding friction to the buying experience and lessening the chance consumers would buy both. Thanks to PicoCoffee™, European & UK Micro Market operators can now simplify the consumer journey and back-office administration with a single device. Operators focused on office coffee service (OCS) now have a way to expand their services strategically and economically by selling complementary products alongside coffee, such as pastries, fruit, and snack bars.
“Before the introduction of PicoCoffee, consumers had to pay for snacks at a dedicated micro market kiosk and then transition to another payment device to vend and pay for coffee,” said VP of Product Strategy for 365 Retail Markets, Ryan McWhirter. “We’ve now been able to take our industry leading self-checkout experience and integrate coffee purchasing in the most seamless way possible.”
Removing friction from the checkout experience increases the likelihood consumers fulfil their buying potential. Furthermore, snacks positioned within arm’s reach of the coffee machine can lead to impulse buys that dramatically increase revenue. Utilising one self-service checkout solution reduces technology acquisition and management costs for operators offering a view into both coffee and market analytics with consolidated reporting.
Easy integration via a single MDB cable makes PicoCoffee™ plug and play for operators, making it just as easy to deploy as the single function legacy products now in use. Modifying coffee equipment to mount a payment device is no longer necessary, eliminating a challenge for operators with financed equipment. As a standalone compact kiosk, PicoCoffee™ sits next to the tabletop automatic brewer and physically raises the point of sale higher than other, less visible countertop alternatives. This positioning further elevates the consumer experience making it easier to locate and utilise the payment device.
“I think Operators will look back at this moment and ask why PicoCoffee didn’t come along sooner” said McWhirter, “We are extending the vision of what an OCS and micro market location can be, and I’m excited to see the industry continue to reinvent itself as a result of this innovation that only 365 Retail Markets can deliver.”
PicoCoffee can also help operators turn loyal coffee drinkers into loyal consumers. As part of the 365 Connected CampusSM, consumers can use their 365Pay mobile app to make it easy to pay for purchases, earn rewards, and redeem promotions the more they purchase.
On average, seventy five percent of unattended solution sales in the United Kingdom (UK) include automatic tabletop coffee machines with preference for the machines growing over traditional hot beverage vending within both the UK and EU.[1] Both trends confirm this is the ideal time for operators to take advantage of the benefits of PicoCoffee™.
PicoCoffee is available for immediate purchase in the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria with more countries coming soon.
